30 Days of MIND Diet Recipes for Brain Health (2024)

Brain health is incredibly important, especially as we get older. As we age, we’re at a greater risk for cognitive decline. The MIND Diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurological Delay) focuses on healthy foods that have been shown to benefit brain health and reduce the risk of dementia. Though aging increases your risk of dementia, lifestyle factors like a healthy diet and getting regular exercise also support brain health. Here are 30 days of MIND diet recipes to keep your brain healthy.

What Is The MIND Diet?

The MIND Diet combines the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet to identify foods that can protect against dementia and cognitive decline. The diet focuses specifically on brain health and features foods known for their brain protecting properties.For example, foods rich in certain vitamins, carotenoids, and flavonoids that are believed to protect the brain by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

Although the MIND diet focuses on brain health, it’s also beneficial for heart health, diabetes, and certain cancers since the Mediterranean and DASH diets have been shown to lower the risk of these diseases.

What Are the Principles of the MIND Diet?

The principles of the MIND diet focus more on plant-based foods that are minimally processed and limit animal-based foods that are high in saturated fats as well as foods with added sugars. It combines principles of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, incorporating foods from each that have been shown to be particularly beneficial for brain health.

For example, it emphasizes berries due to their high antioxidant properties over other fruits, it recommends eating fish at least once per week, and it highlights leafy greens, which are rich in many nutrients and are thought to reduce cognitive decline more so than other vegetables.

There are no specific guidelines for following the MIND diet, you are simply supposed to eat more of the “good” foods and less of the “bad” foods on their diet list.

16 Foods to Eat and Avoid on the MIND Diet

Foods to Eat

1. Whole grains
2. Leafy greens
3. Vegetables
4. Nuts
5. Beans
6. Berries
7. Poultry
8. Fish
9. Olive oil

Foods to Avoid

1. Pastries and sweets
2. Red meat (including beef, pork and lamb)
3. Processed meats like bacon and cold cuts
4. Cheese
5. Refined grains
6. Fried and processed foods
7. Butter/margarine

30 Days of MIND Diet Recipes

30 MIND Diet Recipes for Breakfast
1. Spinach and Mushroom Quiche | Eating Well
2. Blueberry Spinach Smoothie | The Natural Nurturer
3. Green Shakshuka with Kale | The Mediterranean Dish
4. Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Smoked Trout and Avocado | Eating Well
5. Greek Yogurt Bowls | The Domestic Dietician
6. Salmon, Egg and Avocado Breakfast Tacos | A Food Lover’s Kitchen
7. Spinach and Egg Scramble with Raspberries | Eating Well
8. Blueberry Smoothie Bowl | All Recipes
9. Easy Overnight Oats | Downshiftology
10. Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Quinoa and Strawberries | Eating Well
11. Egg White Frittata with Smoked Salmon | The Mediterranean Dish
12. Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas and Spinach | Eating Well
13. Vanilla Almond Overnight Quinoa | Simply Quinoa
14. Brown Rice Pudding | Tastes Better From Scratch
15. Berry White Bean Smoothie | Nutriciously
16. Meyer Lemon Avocado Toast | All Recipes
17. Avocado Smoothie | Eating Bird Food
18. Baked Egg Muffins | Nutriciously
19. Spinach and Lemon Hummus Egg Wraps | Prevention
20. Blueberry Walnut Pancakes | Dr Hyman
21. Oatmeal Black Currant Pancakes | Brain HQ
22. Savoury Lentil Waffles | Prevention
23. Strawberry Banana Oat Smoothie | Cooking Classy
24. Gluten-Free Zucchini Waffles | Oat and Sesame
27. Blueberry Banana Chai Smoothie | Oat and Sesame
28. Chickpea and Potato Hash | Eating Well
29. Sweet Potato Hash with Za’atar and Chickpeas | The Mediterranean Dish
30. Sheet Pan Eggs with Mushrooms and Spinach | Eating Well

30 MIND Diet Recipes for Lunch
1. Kale Kimchi Salad | Sweet Potato Soul
2. Tuscan White Bean Soup | Jessica in the Kitchen
3. Black Eyed Pea Salad | The Mediterranean Dish
4. Spicy Kale and Swiss Chard Saute | EA Stewart
5. Spinach Curry Crepes | Prevention
6. Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup | Cookie and Kate
7. Lentil Salad with Kale, Tomatoes and Almonds | EA Stewart
8. One-Pot Vegetable Dahl | Neil’s Healthy Meals
9. Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto | EA Stewart
10. Black Bean Tacos with Butternut Squash | Oat and Sesame
11. Smoked Salmon, Egg, and Pickled Beet Bagel | Eating Well
12. Chicken Burrito Protein Bowl | Feel Good Foodie
13. Roasted Broccoli Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing | Oat and Sesame
14. Fish Tacos with Kiwi Salsa | Eating Well
15. Thai Salmon Brown Rice Bowl | Taste of Home
16. Baked Fish Tacos with Avocado | Punchbowl
17. Chickpea Grain Bowl with Lemon Vinaigrette | Eating Well
18. Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas | Kristine’s Kitchen
19. Teriyaki Salmon Quinoa Bowl | The College Housewife
20. Roasted Salmon Rice Bowl with Beets and Brussels | Eating Well
21. Kale Quinoa Salad with Chicken | How Sweet Eats
22. Mediterranean Veggie Wrap | Very Well Fit
23. No-Cook Black Bean Salad | Eating Well
24. Roasted Broccoli Quesadillas | Brain Health Kitchen
25. Salmon Stuffed Avocados | Eating Well
26. Sardinian Lentil Soup with Herbs | Brain Health Kitchen
27. Berry Spinach Salad | Momsdish
28. Tuna Salad Wrap | Skinny Taste
29. Roasted Chickpeas and Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers | Ruchi’s Kitchen
30. Greek Lentil Salad | Cookie and Kate

30 MIND Diet Recipes for Dinner
1. Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic | The Mediterranean Dish
2. Asian Pan Seared Salmon | EA Stewart
3. Greek Chicken Marinade | The Mediterranean Dish
4. Chicken Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing | EA Stewart
5. Black Bean Beet Burgers | Oat and Sesame
6. Turkish Red Lentil Soup | The Mediterranean Dish
7. Grilled Lemon Pepper Salmon | Eating Well
9. Tuna Cakes with Greens and Lemon Dressing | Eating Well
10. Butter Beans with Garlic, Lemon and Herbs | The Mediterranean Dish
11. Roasted Maple Glazed Chicken and Carrots | Eating Well
12. Mediterranean Chicken and Rice | Bites of Wellness
13. Sheet Pan Salmon, Broccoli, and Sweet Potatoes | Naturally Being Nat
14. Roasted Veggies and Greens over Spiced Lentils | Eating Well
15. Turkey Parm Burgers | Brain Health Kitchen
16. Turkey Stew with Veggies | Healthy Brains
17. Grilled Vegetable Salad | Plays Well with Butter
18. Stuffed Acorn Squash with Spiced Rice | Little Ferraro Kitchen
19. Avocado and Tomato Chickpea Pasta Salad | Ambitious Kitchen
20. Moroccan Lentils with Turkey Meatballs | Taste and See
21. Grilled Ginger Turmeric Chicken | Feed Them Wisely
22. Crunchy Lentil Tacos with Guacamole | EA Stewart
23. Greek Grilled Chicken and Hummus Wrap | Cooking Classy
24. Minestrone Soup with Orzo and Kale | 31 Daily
25. Tikka-Style Fish | BBC Good Food
26. Ikarian Stew with Black-Eyed Peas | 31 Daily
27. Pan-Seared Scallops with Pepper and Onions | All Recipes
28. Chickpea Stew with Tomatoes and Spinach | BBC Good Food
29. Ground Turkey and Sweet Potato Taco Skillet | The Natural Nurturer
30. Crunchy Brown Rice Salmon Bowls with Herbed Tahini Dressing | Wandering Chickpea

Try these MIND diet recipes to benefit your brain health and live healthier everyday!

This post contains affiliate links.

Did you enjoy these MIND Diet recipes? We’d love it if you shared this post on Pinterest!

Looking for more healthy recipes? Make sure to follow our Health Board on Pinterest!